Local Governments are appendage of states,Says Aregbesola

The Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, on Friday, said that local
governments in Nigeria under the 1999 constitution are an appendage of the
state government.

The Governor held that there cannot be autonomy for Local governments
because they are absolutely under the control and ambience of the states,
and that the only organ of the state empowered by the constitution to make
laws for them is the state parliament.

Aregbesola stated this while delivering his lecture at a one day conference on
the second Anniversary of South-West in National governance with the Theme
“South-West to Abuja: A mid term appraisal” organised by Urban Media
resources Limited at the Aurora event centre in Osogbo.

He emphasised that the Presidential system which Nigeria is operating is too
expensive for its economy to cope with, thereby advocating for a
parliamentary system which is less expensive.

According to him, giving autonomy to local government simply amounts to
disruption of the federal system of government.

Aregbesola opined that though the current system may have encouraged
corruptions, but the solution to such anomaly is not total removal of local
government from its original body, which is the state.

The Governor described the belief gaining grounds that local governments in
Nigeria should be independent of state governments as totally strange and
anti-federalism.

He noted that there are only two tiers of government in a federal system of
government, namely the Federal government and the government at the
federating level.

According to him, “Nigeria is not just a Republic, but a Federal Republic, a
federal state is where every distinction of nationality is recognised, respected
and honoured. None of the units of the Federation is therefore superior to the
other. Every of the units are empowered by law to administer themselves
under the general guideline of the constitution.

“Another anomaly that people, because of their frustration to some aspect of
administration, are equally making mistake on and need correction is that a
federation has two tiers of government. There cannot be three tiers in a
federation. The moment you have three tiers, you no longer have a
federation”.

Aregbesola emphasised that the problem with the administration of Local
Government in Nigeria can be corrected within the limits of the laws of the
state in a federation.

He noted that it is not by assaulting the fundamental principle of federalism
that the challenges and weakness being faced by the administration of local
governments can be corrected.

The Governor also said Nigeria remains a poor country not because the
country was blessed with necessary resources, but in its present state due to
indolence culture among the citizenry.

He attributed the pace of insecurity challenges in the country to lack of
productivity among Nigerians, saying if 50million out 170million Nigerians
resolve to work for wealth, Nigeria will become the most productive nation
among black race.

He averred that the status of Nigeria as a developing country is characterised
by the failure to inculcate in her citizenry the culture of work for wealth which
is known as the basis for development of advanced nations of the world.
“It is a fact that Nigeria do not need her entire populace to succeed

economically as a county. If 25 percent equivalent to 50 million population
out of 170 million Nigerians could resolve to work for wealth, then Nigeria will
become a super power.

“This analysis means that 50 million population will be generating
N1.25trillion yearly and if such continues in ten years, then Nigeria will
become a super power.

“The way to economic vibrancy is not difficult, but the only difficulty in it, is
the ability to inculcate the spirit that will stimulate consciousness to
productivity.